Ghazal 329 of Hafez (25 couplets), in the original Persian as on Ganjoor, with a transliteration, a plain English translation, the meanings of key words and the traditional fâl-e Hâfez reading.
Read it word by wordTake your own fâl
COUPLET 1
جوزا سَحَر نهادْ حمایل برابرمیعنی غلامِ شاهم و سوگند می‌خورم
jowzâ sahar nahâd hamâyel barâbaram / ya'ni gholâm-e shâham o sowgand mikhoram
At dawn the constellation Gemini set its sash before me, as if to say: "I am the king's servant, and I swear it."
COUPLET 2
ساقی بیا که از مددِ بختِ کارسازکامی که خواستم ز خدا شد مُیَسَّرَم
sâghi biyâ ke az madad-e bakht-e kârsâz / kâmi ke khâstam ze khodâ shod moyassaram
Cupbearer, come: with the help of a fortune that sets things right, the wish I asked of God has come within my reach.
COUPLET 3
جامی بده که باز به شادیِّ رویِ شاهپیرانه‌سر، هوایِ جوانیست در سرم
jâmi bedeh ke bâz be shâdi-ye ru-ye shâh / pirâne-sar havâ-ye javâni-st dar saram
Give me a cup, for once again, in joy at the king's face, my old head is full of the longings of youth.
COUPLET 4
راهم مزن به وصفِ زلالِ خِضِر که مناز جامِ شاه جُرعه‌کشِ حوضِ کوثرم
râham mazan be vasf-e zolâl-e khezr ke man / az jâm-e shâh jor'e-kesh-e howz-e kowsaram
Do not lead me astray by praising Khizr's clear water: from the king's cup I drink from the Pool of Kowsar in paradise.
COUPLET 5
شاها اگر به عرش رسانم سریرِ فضلمملوکِ این جِنابم و مسکین این دَرَم
shâhâ agar be arsh resânam sarir-e fazl / mamluk-e in jenâbam o meskin-e in daram
O king, even if I raise the throne of my learning to the highest heaven, I am still a slave of this court and a poor man at this door.
COUPLET 6
من جرعه‌نوشِ بزمِ تو بودم هزار سالکی تَرکِ آبخورْد کُنَد طبعِ خوگرم
man jor'e-nush-e bazm-e to budam hezâr sâl / key tark-e âbkhord konad tab'-e khugaram
For a thousand years I have sipped at your feast; how could my nature, so used to it, ever give up its drinking place?
COUPLET 7
ور باوَرَت نمی‌کند از بنده این حدیثاز گفتهٔ کمال، دلیلی بیاورم
var bâvarat nemikonad az bande in hadis / az gofte-ye kamâl dalili biyâvaram
And if you do not believe these words from your servant, let me bring proof from the verse of Kamal:
COUPLET 8
«گر بَرکَنَم دل از تو و بَردارم از تو مِهرآن مِهر بَر کِه افکنم؟ آن دل کجا بَرَم؟»
gar barkanam del az to o bardâram az to mehr / ân mehr bar ke afkanam ân del kojâ baram
"If I tear my heart away from you and take back my love from you, on whom would I cast that love? Where would I take that heart?"
COUPLET 9
منصور بِنْ مُظَفَّرِ غازیست حرزِ منوز این خجسته‌نام، بر اَعدا مُظَفَّرَم
mansur bn-e mozaffar-e ghâzi-st herz-e man / v-az in khojaste-nâm bar a'dâ mozaffaram
Mansur, son of Mozaffar the warrior, is my protecting charm; through this blessed name I am victorious over my enemies.
COUPLET 10
عهدِ اَلَستِ من همه با عشقِ شاه بودوَز شاهراهِ عمر، بدین عهد بگذرم
ahd-e alast-e man hame bâ eshgh-e shâh bud / v-az shâhrâh-e omr bedin ahd bogzaram
My first covenant, on the day of Alast, was all with love for the king, and I will walk the highway of life holding to this pact.
COUPLET 11
گردون چو کرد نظمِ ثُرَیّا به نامِ شاهمن نظمِ دُر چرا نکنم؟ از کِه کمترم؟
gardun cho kard nazm-e sorayyâ be nâm-e shâh / man nazm-e dorr cherâ nakonam az ke kamtaram
When the heavens strung the Pleiades in the king's name, why should I not string pearls of verse? Who am I less than?
COUPLET 12
شاهین‌صفت چو طعمه چشیدم ز دستِ شاهکِی باشد التفات به صیدِ کبوترم
shâhin-sefat cho to'me cheshidam ze dast-e shâh / key bâshad eltefât be seyd-e kabutaram
Like a falcon that has tasted food from the king's hand, why would I care about hunting doves?
COUPLET 13
ای شاهِ شیرگیر چه کم گردد ار شوددر سایهٔ تو مُلکِ فَراغت مُیَسَّرَم
ey shâh-e shirgir che kam gardad ar shavad / dar sâye-ye to molk-e farâghat moyassaram
O lion-hunting king, what would be lost if, in your shadow, a kingdom of peace and ease came within my reach?
COUPLET 14
شعرم به یُمنِ مَدحِ تو صد مُلکِ دل گشادگویی که تیغِ توست زبانِ سُخنورم
she'ram be yomn-e madh-e to sad molk-e del goshâd / gu'i ke tigh-e tost zabân-e sokhanvaram
Blessed by your praise, my poetry has conquered a hundred kingdoms of hearts; you would think my eloquent tongue were your sword.
COUPLET 15
بر گُلشنی اگر بِگُذشتم چو بادِ صبحنِی عشقِ سرو بود و نه شوقِ صنوبرم
bar golshani agar begozashtam cho bâd-e sobh / ney eshgh-e sarv bud o na showgh-e sanowbaram
If I passed over a rose garden like the morning breeze, it was not love of the cypress, nor longing for the pine.
COUPLET 16
بویِ تو می‌شنیدم و بر یادِ رویِ تودادند ساقیانِ طَرَب یک دو ساغرم
bu-ye to mishenidam o bar yâd-e ru-ye to / dâdand sâghiyân-e tarab yek do sâgharam
I was catching your scent, and in memory of your face the cupbearers of joy gave me a cup or two.
COUPLET 17
مستی به آبِ یک دو عِنَب وضعِ بنده نیستمن سالخورده پیرِ خرابات‌پَروَرَم
masti be âb-e yek do enab vaz'-e bande nist / man sâlkhorde pir-e kharâbât-parvaram
Getting drunk on the juice of a grape or two is not this servant's way: I am an old elder raised in the tavern.
COUPLET 18
با سِیرِ اخترِ فلکم داوری بَسیستانصافِ شاه باد در این قصه یاورم
bâ seyr-e akhtar-e falakam dâvari basi-st / ensâf-e shâh bâd dar in ghesse yâvaram
I have many complaints against the course of the stars in the sky; may the king's justice be my helper in this matter.
COUPLET 19
شُکرِ خدا که باز در این اوجِ بارگاهطاووسِ عرش می‌شنود صیتِ شَهپَرَم
shokr-e khodâ ke bâz dar in owj-e bârgâh / tâvus-e arsh mishenavad seyt-e shahparam
Thank God that again, at the height of this court, the peacock of heaven hears the fame of my great wing.
COUPLET 20
نامم ز کارخانهٔ عُشّاق محو بادگر جز محبتِ تو بُوَد شغلِ دیگرم
nâmam ze kârkhâne-ye oshshâgh mahv bâd / gar joz mohabbat-e to bovad shoghl-e digaram
May my name be erased from the workshop of lovers if I ever have any business other than love for you.
COUPLET 21
شِبلُ الاَسَد به صیدِ دلم حمله کرد و منگر لاغرم وگرنه شکارِ غضنفرم
shebl-ol-asad be seyd-e delam hamle kard o man / gar lâgharam vagarna shekâr-e ghazanfaram
The lion's cub sprang to hunt my heart, and I, lean as I am or not, am the lion's prey.
COUPLET 22
ای عاشقانِ رویِ تو از ذَرِّه بیشترمن کِی رَسَم به وصلِ تو کز ذَرِّه کمترم
ey âsheghân-e ru-ye to az zarre bishtar / man key rasam be vasl-e to k-az zarre kamtaram
O you whose lovers outnumber the specks of dust, how could I ever reach union with you, when I am less than a speck?
COUPLET 23
بنما به من که مُنکِرِ حُسنِ رخِ تو کیستتا دیده‌اش به گِزلِکِ غیرت برآورم
benmâ be man ke monker-e hosn-e rokh-e to kist / tâ dide-ash be gazlak-e gheyrat bar âvaram
Show me who denies the beauty of your face, so that I may tear out his eye with the knife of zeal.
COUPLET 24
بر من فُتاد سایهٔ خورشیدِ سلطنتواکنون فَراغت است ز خورشیدِ خاورم
bar man fetâd sâye-ye khorshid-e saltanat / v-aknun farâghat ast ze khorshid-e khâvaram
The shadow of the sun of kingship has fallen on me, and now I have no need of the sun of the east.
COUPLET 25
مقصود از این معامله بازارتیزی استنی جلوه می‌فروشم و نی عشوه می‌خرم
maghsud az in mo'âmele bâzâr-tizi ast / ney jelve mifurusham o ney eshve mikharam
The point of all this trading is only to liven up the market: I am neither selling show nor buying flattery.
What this fâl tells you
A wish you have carried for a long time may be close to coming true. Tradition reads this fal as a sign of support from someone powerful or generous; stay loyal and keep doing your work with pride. Do not waste yourself on small prizes when something better is already in your hands.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: none. qâfiye: -aram (barâbaram, mikhoram, moyassaram, saram, kowsaram, daram, khugaram, biyâvaram, baram, mozaffaram, ghazanfaram, mikharam...). A praise poem (madih) for Shah Mansur the Mozaffarid; beyt 8 quotes a line by the poet Kamal Khojandi, and beyt 21 opens with the Arabic shebl-ol-asad "the lion's cub".
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| jowzâ | Gemini (constellation, pictured wearing a sash) (جوزا) | |
| sahar | dawn dictionary | |
| نهاد | nahâd | placed, set dictionary |
| hamâyel | sash, sword-belt worn across the chest dictionary | |
| barâbaram | in front of me dictionary | |
| ya'ni | that is, I mean dictionary | |
| gholâm | servant dictionary | |
| shâham | of the king (+ -am: I am) dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| می‌خورم | mikhoram | I eat; sowgand khordan = to swear dictionary |
| sâghi | cupbearer dictionary | |
| biyâ | come! dictionary | |
| مدد | madad | help dictionary |
| bakht | fortune, luck dictionary | |
| kâmi | any pleasure, a wish dictionary | |
| khâstam | I asked for dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| khodâ | God; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary | |
| shod | become (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary | |
| میسرم | moyassaram | possible, within reach (+ -am: for me) dictionary |
| jâmi | a cup dictionary | |
| bedeh | give! pour! dictionary | |
| bâz | again dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| shâdi | joy dictionary | |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| shâh | king dictionary | |
| هوای | havâ-ye | longing for, desire for dictionary |
| javâni-st | is youth (= javâni ast) dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| saram | my head; over me dictionary | |
| râham | my road dictionary | |
| مزن | mazan | do not block; râh zadan = to waylay, lead astray dictionary |
| وصف | vasf | description dictionary |
| zolâl | pure, clear water dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| jâm | cup dictionary | |
| howz | pool dictionary | |
| shâhâ | O king! dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| arsh | the throne of God, highest heaven dictionary | |
| resânam | I raise, I bring (up to) dictionary | |
| sarir | throne dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| jenâbam | court, honored presence (+ -am: I am) dictionary | |
| مسکین | meskin | poor, wretched dictionary |
| daram | of this door (+ -am: I am) dictionary | |
| bazm | feast, party dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| budam | I was dictionary | |
| هزار | hezâr | thousand; also "nightingale" (hezâr-dastân) dictionary |
| sâl | year dictionary | |
| tark | giving up dictionary | |
| âbkhord | drinking place; one's allotted share (آبشخور) | |
| کند | konad | does; makes dictionary |
| tab'-e | nature, temperament dictionary | |
| ور | var | and if (= va agar) (و اگر) |
| bâvarat | your belief; bâvar kardan = to believe dictionary | |
| نمی‌کند | nemikonad | does not do dictionary |
| bande | servant; humble "I" dictionary | |
| گفتهٔ | gofte | words, what is said dictionary |
| کمال | kamâl | Kamal (Khojandi), a poet of Hafez's time dictionary |
| dalili | a proof dictionary | |
| biyâvaram | I bring dictionary | |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| bardâram | I take back, lift away dictionary | |
| مهر | mehr | love, kindness dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| که | ke | whom (چه کسی) |
| afkanam | I cast, throw dictionary | |
| کجا | kojâ | where; how? (rhetorical) dictionary |
| baram | I take, I carry dictionary | |
| منصور | mansur | Mansur (Shah Mansur, the Mozaffarid ruler); also "victorious" dictionary |
| bn | son of (Arabic, = ebn) (پسر) | |
| مظفر | mozaffar | victorious (also the name of Shoja's dynasty) dictionary |
| وز | v-az | and from (= va az) (و از) |
| a'dâ | enemies (Arabic plural) (دشمنان) dictionary | |
| مظفرم | mozaffaram | I am victorious dictionary |
| ahd | covenant, pact dictionary | |
| همه | hame | all, whole dictionary |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| bud | was dictionary | |
| shâhrâh-e | the highway of dictionary | |
| omr | life, lifetime dictionary | |
| bedin | with this, in this (= be in) (با این) | |
| bogzaram | I pass along, travel dictionary | |
| گردون | gardun | the turning sky; fortune dictionary |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| کرد | kard | do (with tavân: can do) dictionary |
| نظم | nazm | stringing, arranging; also verse dictionary |
| ریا | sorayyâ | the Pleiades (star cluster) (پروین) |
| نام | nâm | name, fame dictionary |
| چرا | cherâ | why dictionary |
| نکنم | nakonam | I do not do, I do not make dictionary |
| کمترم | kamtaram | I am less dictionary |
| to'me | bait, food dictionary | |
| چشیدم | cheshidam | I tasted dictionary |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| bâshad | would there be dictionary | |
| seyd | prey; hunting dictionary | |
| کبوترم | kabutaram | dove (+ -am: my hunting of) dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| کم | kam | less; che kam gardad = what would be lost dictionary |
| گردد | gardad | becomes (بشود) dictionary |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| shavad | becomes dictionary | |
| sâye | shade, shadow dictionary | |
| فراغت | farâghat | ease, peace, freedom from care dictionary |
| she'ram | my poetry dictionary | |
| مدح | madh | praise dictionary |
| sad | hundred dictionary | |
| گشاد | goshâd | opened, conquered dictionary |
| gu'i | you would say, as if dictionary | |
| tigh | sword, blade dictionary | |
| tost | is yours (= to ast) dictionary | |
| zabân | tongue; language dictionary | |
| bogzashtam | I passed by (گذشتم) dictionary | |
| bâd | wind dictionary | |
| sobh | morning dictionary | |
| ney | not (= na) (نه) dictionary | |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| showgh | longing, eagerness dictionary | |
| sanowbaram | (for the) pine (+ -am: my) dictionary | |
| bu-ye | scent of (ezafe) dictionary | |
| می‌شنیدم | mishenidam | I was smelling, catching (a scent) dictionary |
| یاد | yâd | memory dictionary |
| dâdand | (they) gave dictionary | |
| sâghiyân | cupbearers dictionary | |
| tarab | joy, merriment dictionary | |
| یک | yek | one dictionary |
| do | two dictionary | |
| sâgharam | cups (+ -am: to me) dictionary | |
| masti | intoxication dictionary | |
| âb | water; stream dictionary | |
| enab | grape (Arabic) (انگور) | |
| وضع | vaz' | manner, way dictionary |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| sâlkhorde | aged, old dictionary | |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| akhtar | star; fortune dictionary | |
| فلکم | falakam | the sky (+ -am: I have) dictionary |
| dâvari | dispute, complaint dictionary | |
| basi-st | is much (= basi ast) dictionary | |
| ensâf | fairness, justice dictionary | |
| bâd | may it be dictionary | |
| قصه | ghesse | story dictionary |
| یاورم | yâvaram | my helper dictionary |
| shokr | thanks dictionary | |
| owj | summit, height dictionary | |
| bârgâh | royal court, audience hall dictionary | |
| tâvus | peacock dictionary | |
| می‌شنود | mishenavad | listens to, hears dictionary |
| seyt | fame, renown (آوازه) | |
| نامم | nâmam | my name dictionary |
| کارخانهٔ | kârkhâne | workshop (here: the world) dictionary |
| oshshâgh | lovers dictionary | |
| محو | mahv | erased dictionary |
| joz | except, besides dictionary | |
| محبت | mohabbat | love, affection dictionary |
| shoghl | occupation, business, dealing dictionary | |
| al-asad | the lion (Arabic) (شیر) | |
| delam | my heart dictionary | |
| hamle | attack dictionary | |
| وگرنه | vagarna | otherwise dictionary |
| shekâr | prey, catch dictionary | |
| ghazanfaram | of the lion (+ -am: I am) (شیر) | |
| âsheghân | lovers dictionary | |
| bishtar | more dictionary | |
| rasam | I reach dictionary | |
| کز | k-az | that from (= ke az) (که از) |
| benamâ | show! (نشان بده) dictionary | |
| منکر | monker | denier dictionary |
| hosn | beauty dictionary | |
| rokh | face, cheek dictionary | |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| gheyrat | jealousy (of love); zeal dictionary | |
| فتاد | fetâd | fell, landed (افتاد) dictionary |
| saltanat | kingship, sovereignty dictionary | |
| واکنون | v-aknun | and now (و اکنون) |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| khâvaram | of the east (+ -am: I have) dictionary | |
| مقصود | maghsud | goal, what one longs for dictionary |
| معامله | mo'âmele | dealing, exchange dictionary |
| jelve | display, showing oneself dictionary | |
| می‌فروشم | mifurusham | I sell dictionary |
| eshve | flirting, coaxing; eshve dâdan = to deceive with charm; eshve kharidan = to be taken in dictionary | |
| می‌خرم | mikharam | I buy dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 329. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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